That would be one simple suggestion I’d make in a letter to Obama. When did a god-walloping meathead get the idea he can make informed contributions to government?
Pharyngula
Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
I’m certain the President Elect will give that letter exactly the attention it deserves.
When did a god-walloping meathead get the idea he can make informed contributions to government?
Around the time he became Mike Huckabee’s spokesman.
The sad thing is, this imbecile has a devoted internet following.
oh
shit
in b4 chucknorrisfacts.com references
Seriously, though. Have you ever seen his cable TV atrocity, Walker, Texas Ranger? Christian overtones EVERYWHERE!
Yeesh. I wouldn’t take a cranberry-orange muffin from Chuck Norris.
But, but, but he can kick everyone’s ass. Therefore, god exists.
@7: That’s one for the proofs page!
http://www.godlessgeeks.com/LINKS/GodProof.htm
But… but… Chuck Norris doesn’t endorse. He tells America how it’s gonna be. :-)
Around the time that became the logical conclusion to decades of the GOP abusing science, rejecting “elitists” and intellectuals, and celebrating the average god-walloping meathead like Norris or Joe the Plumber as some vaunted “voice of the common man’s wisdom”.
See also: Sarah Palin.
Didn’t you (the American People) elect because he advocates something different from ‘the policies of the last 8 years’/Chuck Norris?
Chuck preens.
Not news.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
I tried to read it all but I kept having the same thought running around in my head, “Why should I give a damn about what chuck thinks.”
Unfortunately many would follow Chuck into the abyss of ignorance to fight what ever monster they imagine they need to fight.
A genuine military attempt to rescue the hostages was “a smile and a handshake”?
Is that what they’re telling themselves now?
Matt7895: The sad thing is, this imbecile has a devoted internet following.
Eh, so does the Biting Pear of Salamanca. The Internet is a very silly place.
Apparently you’re just as bad, PZ:
“I agree Chuck Norris is to conservatism what PZ Myers is to Atheism. BAD..”
(from the comments to that post)
I don’t recall Chuck asking W to “rule from the center”, or quote the constitution at least once a week, etc. I wonder why that would be?
What I don’t get about the Chuck Norris internet phenomenon is that the phenomenon built up around . . . well, Chuck Norris.
No kings,
Robert
Fuck You Chuck Norris.
At least we’ll be know he’ll be doing absolutely nothing to help, keep praying Chuckie.
Not surprisingly, from Pete Rooke
I think the secret service could take him.
What a moron !
And of course with the usual favourite canard of ignorants that subprime mortgages caused the credit bubble.
Yes, lets’ just ignore the deregulated shadow banking system whose investors consumed ten times more debt in order to pump in, accelerate and speculate on the growth of the capital markets, thereby also growing artificially the GDP of this country and making EVERYBODY happy (except the middle class), corporate executives paid in stock options, traders, speculators, and of course the Bush admnistration who completely closed its eyes to this evident perversion of the financial system and kept insisting that under its leadership the economy was growing very nicely.
Let’s just forget about that, it’s easier to blame the low income households.
Hey Chuck, shut the f*ck up !
Ugh… Chuck should have stopped after the first paragraph.
Owlmirror at #14:
What’s ironic about that, didn’t Norris star in a movie called Delta Force which was about that very operation?
Just checked the Wikipedia entry. Not the same operation dramatized. Shows what I know. Ah, well.
No kings,
Robert
Chuck Norris is giving policy advice? Internet memes do have too little input into government..
Does anyone know if Domo Kun or the dancing hamsters have any plans for reducing troop numbers in Iraq?
Chuck:
Delusional, imbecilic, egomaniac. Ur doin it rite.
Matt Heath at #25:
All your economic base are belong to us?
No kings,
Robert
Chuck Norris destroys evolution with a round house kick.
The ID advocates cheer for God.
Chuck Norris destroys God with a second round house kick.
The ID advocates cheer for Chuck Norris.
I’d love to see this response:
Dear Chuck, thank you for your submission. However, it does not fit with our plans at this time. We are returning it you in your SASE so you may submit it elsewhere. Oops, no SASE, then the circular file.
Turnabout being fair play, and all that, does this mean Chuck will start listening to acting, film, and television advice from others?
No kings,
Robert
Chuck Norris is a nice guy of very average intelligence with a knack for overcompensating. (I’ve always thought he was closeted) He wants us all to live in a 1950’s television version of reality because he thinks Father Knows Best and Leave It To Beaver are truly representative of American life.
Chuck has also sent out this lovely poem (probably not written by him):
When all of a sudden, there arose such a noise.
I peered out my window, saw Obama and his boys.
They had come for my wallet. They wanted my pay.
To give to the others, who had not worked a day.
He snatched up my money, and as quick as wink,
jumped back on his bandwagon as a gagged from the political stink.
….more
via The Young Turks
Who says that conservatives lack creativity or a great sense of rhyme?
Chuck Norris: “I realize that we must learn to work together if we are to see our country get back on track”
Funny how conservatives are always asking to work together when they’re out of power, but don’t give liberals (and liberal politicians) a second glance when they are in power.
“…does this mean Chuck will start listening to acting, film, and television advice from others?”
I appreciate that humor Desert Son, however, the sad part is that he already has.
Poor fella, he thought he was an actor once, now he thinks he’s a relevant pundit.
There’s this Chuck Norris joke that goes : Chuck Norris’ tears can cure cancer. Too bad he never cries. Ever.
This was his ACTUAL RESPONSE to that:
Now that’s funnier than any Chuck Norris joke.
This is good. Now we should have a debate between Chuck Norris and Angelina Jolie.
Chuck Norris is so tough that instead of a brain he has another fist inside his skull- and it has a death grip on a bible.
E.V #31
“…of very average intelligence…”
I’m sorry E.V., but I’m not buying that assertion unless you meant average for an 8 year old. I mean to me, he comes across as someone with an IQ just north of a bathroom rug.
Alex: I think you overestimate the average American.
The Rev. Big Dumb Chimp covered this ages ago. PZ Myers, you must take care to avoid becoming to Atheism what Chuck Norris is to Conservatism.
The constitution part I liked, though its hypocritical coming from the right after the Bush administration.
The rest made me gag…
a LOT!
Rev. BDC,
Excellent post.
So can we now call Chuck Norris an un-American douche since he doesn’t support our president? Chuck, this is our country, love it or leave it. (/snark)
And what’s this bullshit about speaking to the other half of the country? WTF? If it was half of the country we’d still be trying to recount the votes and declare a winner.
E.V.: Perhaps you’re right. Time to recalibrate…and lose even more hope for society. Damn reality.
Feynmaniac at #35: I just clicked on the link you provided. Am I the only one who finds it irritating, with WorldNetDaily articles, that before you can view an article you have to sit through a few seconds of advertising banner saying “Click here to see how you can flush 15 pounds of undigested waste from your colon!” Do WorldNetDaily readers have unusually severe digestive problems, perhaps?
That will teach me for not checking the link. My apologies.
If I have never watched a Chuck Norris movie or TV show and have never bought any of his merchandise, can I continue doing the same thing but call it a pricipled boycott?
Alex:
Pop go your illusions! It’s always been this way, nothing changed but your paradigm. My condolences.
(…as far as the eye can see, a vast sea of sheeple)
I remember when Elvis tried to give Nixon advice. He had some kung fu moves down as well.
Maybe there’ll be a Palin / Norris ticket in 2012?
I’m certain the President Elect will give that letter exactly the attention it deserves.
Something like this?:
(Note: Not original; I paraphrased it from something I heard years ago)
Such a shame Bruce Lee is not around to kick Chuckie Baby’s ass.
“When did a god-walloping meathead get the idea he can make informed contributions to government?”
Maybe since one {the one} got elected President.
Chuck Norris is gay.
Chuck Norris is gay.
Thats what all the atheists on Pharyngula say.
Not to his face of course.
Me, I more of a Jack Bauer type of guy.
Hey, Obama owes the writers of 24 for allowing America to image that a “black” president might be a good thing.
Too bad we didn’t get David Palmer.
Free association is now OFF.
Waiting for Jackie Chan’s letter which, like his martial arts movies, will no doubt be far more intelligent.
The thing that really concerns me here is that the 47% of Americans who voted for McCain believed all the BS Palin was spouting at her rallys. Pallin around with terrorists; check. He’s a socialist; check. Kill him; check.
This country truly is divided right now. I’m glad I’m with the 52%, but frankly, the other 47% would party all night long if they hear the Klan got to Obama before 1/20.
How do we defend our president now? When it’s looking more and more like this, how do you defend 1 person, even the president, from what looks like such an extreme rate of redneck-ism?
Read the “apology” from Paul Broun today, too; don’t miss the reader comments:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/12/congressman-sorry-for-likening-obama-to-hitler/
Genuinely scary.
Bush’s invasion of Iraq is what “ultimately gave rise to Ahmadinejad’s Iranian regime” by reinvigorating Iranian’s (well-founded) fears of a US invasion.
I see Pete “well meaning fool” is back to just being a fool. Pete, show some intelligence. Keep your opinions to your blog.
“Such a shame Bruce Lee is not around to kick Chuckie Baby’s ass”
This did happen.
In a movie.
The Way of the Dragon.
#45:
To be fair, part of that 15 pounds is their head.
The Return of the Dragon in the US.
I am impressed. Asshole got the joke. And explained it.
Walton #44 AND #45,
Yes, the shit ends up coming out of their mouth.
Last night I had a dream that I got in a fight with Chuck Norris over creationism.
Now I read this about Chuck Norris, AND I find out the campus chemistry club is putting on a showing of Expelled tonight which they’re billing as ‘a movie about the lives of scientists of our time’ and I’m probably gonna go and talk with them about when it’s over.
Coincidence? Or divine purpose? :P
Well Janine..Assholes are usefull
things to have.
Yeah, those colon-health ads… As a Crohn’s sufferer (you don’t know the half of it, nor do you want to), I find those ads extremely disturbing. So ya wanna go on a permanent colonoscopy-prep diet, eh?
Seriously, dude, that huge bulge above your beltline is NOT what you think it is. It is, however, a result of too much beer, beef, fries and TV. Anything to deny that is okay with these ‘necks.
Eat less; exercise more; leave the prep drugs for when you really need them, which will be soon enough with YOUR diet and exercise habits, ya fat slob.
But I’m probably just “Pallin’ around with Terrorists” when I point that out.
Scientists in Washington have recently conceded that, if there were a nuclear war, all that would remain are cockroaches and Chuck Norris.
Chuck Norris isn’t lactose intolerant. He just doesn’t put up with lactose’s shit.
Chuck Norris can piss into gale force winds.
Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding.
There is no such thing as tornados. Chuck Norris just hates trailer parks
Eric you’re going to make me regret writing that post.
Well this thread just went in the toilet… thanks Eric A.
“There was a man whose tears could cure cancer….His name was Jesus ”
And now he’s up in heaven, bogarting all that Jesus juice. Fuck you, Jesus.
“Free association is now OFF.”
I’ll believe that when I see it, Eric.
If the credit crunch is Clinton’s fault, should we not blaim Bush for not doing anything about in the past seven years? Why does G.W.Bush hate America and her economy?
I’ve been reading too much about the election – the other night I dreamt I was at a dinner with Palin and felt the need to defend her against people being rude by focusing on her and her family instead of her politics.
Should prolly go offline for a coupla weeks and try to learn some topology …
Did I ever tell you about the man who taught his asshole to talk?
I hope not, Rev.
I kinda like the “dancing Darwin.”
BTW, I found out something to like about Obama.
His favorite TV show was HBO’s The Wire.
Mine too,Almost.. Deadwood slightly edged The Wire in a photo finish.
Cocksuckers at HBO canceled them both.
Yeah Deadwood and the Wire were both really good.
Dear Mr. Norris,
The constitution was designed to PROTECT liberties not limit them. Dumbass.
Chip
Dear PZ,
Come back to Denver and do our Cafe Scientifique, Please
I noticed Chuck forgot to tell Obama not to get involved in a foreign war in a country that might led to an insurgency along with the fruitlessness of nation building in a country with lots of corruption and hostility towards American style democracy ala Lyndon Baines Johnson.
Oh… Wait… The current president did this for Obama? And not once, but twice? It’s one of his many gifts to the president elect? Maybe that’s why Chuck left it out.
Mr. Norris was nice enough to come down to our level in writing such a long post. After all, he is quite powerful, isn’t he? Why should a man with so much power in the two feet he stands on, why waste the energy on us plebs?
He could’ve just used his powers of communication and simply written: “I am Chuck Norris, and I have thoughts about how Obama act as president.”
That’s it. That’s the whole article. With that one sentence, he could’ve communicated so much, without worrying his registered little hands with details like adjectives, predicates, verbs, transitionary devices, etc. He could’ve written that one sentence, and we’d already know where Chuck stood.
But then, he could have kept his mouth shut altogether.
I’m pretty sure he came to the conclusion that his opinion matters after Fox News kept bringing him on the air to comment on stupid stuff.
Owlmirror: A genuine military attempt to rescue the hostages was “a smile and a handshake”?
Well, this is coming from folks who excuse secret deals with our sworn enemies holding hostages, against the elected government of the US — then use that money to contravene our laws.
Yeah, Reagan is a “hero” and Carter was a “coward”. And 2+2 = 5. Chuck Norris is just a self-aggrandizing scumbag.
Dear Mr. Norris:
For the benefit of Whitehouse staff please forward future correspondence on Charmin.
MikeM: The thing that really concerns me here is that the 47% of Americans who voted for McCain believed all the BS Palin was spouting at her rallys. Pallin around with terrorists; check. He’s a socialist; check. Kill him; check.
I doubt that; probably a 20% just feel that black people are scary, and they’re going to A) take all the stuff back B) take all the white women. After a few years where the scare Black President turns out to just be basically a conservative, center-right president, and folks learn that “center-right” (which they really want) is not a hard-right government (which speaks in their language, but whose policies are completely different from what American want), the Rs will just be left with the 20% dead-enders that support Bush today. I.e., unrepentant fascists.
Chucky can write! There’s always a bright side!
“The Return of The Dragon” is the problem!
Bruce Lee was being nice and tried to help Chuck out by giving him a part in that movie. That in turn give Chuck his career, which otherwise he would most likely not have.
Shouldn’t that be “meat-walloping god-head”…?
He’s as good at political analysis as he is at acting.
Favourite Hannity & Colmes moment:
“Hello, I’m Chuck Norris filling in for Sean Hannity….”
Palin/Norris 2012!
My advice to Obama is to ignore all the idiots, including Nancy Pelosi, who insist that you must govern from the center. Well-executed liberal policies will be better for the country, and will help move the Overton window. The right will despise you either way, so there’s little point in trying to appease them.
After Election Day, I asked myself, despite the outcome, how can I work for our new president to help better America? Then the thought occurred to me, the first question that should be answered is: How will you work for me?
Shorter Chuck Norris: I ain’t workin’ for no black guy!
I though Wulzerebacher was going to be Pain’s running mate. Norris could be SecDef.
Yeah, the same station that seeks opinions on economics and foreign policy from “Joe the Plumber” and “Tito the Builder”.
“Chuck the Chucklehead”. Catchy…
“When did a god-walloping meathead get the idea he can make informed contributions to government?”
When he made “Delta Force”…the Tard(tm) is strong in this one.
Longtime Lurker – That’s exactly the vibe I was getting while reading most of it. I doubt he’d be so condescending to W.
If you guys really want a laugh, go over to Ruthlessreviews.com and click on their “Guide to 80’s Action Films”, and read any review for any of the Chuck Norris films of the 80’s. All their reviews are broken up into section, like “novelty deaths”, “homoeroticism” (of which there is typically plenty) and “stupid political content”. It’s no surprise that blond, well-oiled muscular manly men of the Reagan-Era action film is a synonym for the rugged c*ck of Christ, cuttin’ down terrorists and other unamerican heathens and saving white people.
And when I was a six-year old, I freakin’ loved “Invasion USA”. Why, oh why, Chuck?
paz
@77
I thought the 2+2 = 5 problem was because Chuck destroyed the number four during one of tantrums while trying to learn math.
When did a god-walloping meathead get the idea he can make informed contributions to government?
When Karl Rove told him to run. Oh, you meant another GWMH?
When jerks like this start moralizing about the constitution it makes me want to laugh or vomit. Maybe both.
So Chuck Norris wants to blame Carter for the Iran fundamentalist takeover? Not the cynical and totalitarian means that were used to keep out democratic moderates from power in Iran right from the 1950s? Not the support that was provided to the Shah of Iran to run his feared internal security force SAVAK?
I knew chuck back in the day when he was a tournament fighter and had these epic battles with Joe Lewis over who’s style was better, Joe’s (Okinawan) or Chuck’s (Korean). He still represents himself the same way in his words. He was a dope then and is now.
I wonder why Chuck expects, rather demands, Obama be better than any president in history. You said it Chuck: It’s “WE THE PEOPLE.” That means we are the government. We are the protectors of our rights. One man, one party, hell, even one nation can’t do it alone. What can Obama do? Not much, mostly just inspire, calm, incite, or (if he’s like Bush) offer morbid entertainment for the people. What can WE THE PEOPLE do? Apparently, unimaginable things.
Chuck, put your brain back in your pants and give me fifty more reps.
My acting, film, and television advice for Chuck Norris: stop doing those things.
… oh, and re writing unsolicited policy advice, stop that, too.
… actually, now that I think about it, I’m spotting a pretty clear pattern, here. So whatever it is you’re doing right now, stop doing that, as well. It’s probably for the best.
I really really hate to have to do this to you people bu
http://www.barackobamafacts.com
You know, that one is actually good.
Capitalism…! Yyyyyyeeeeeah.
— Austin Powers
Sounds logical.
And army, and navy, and air force, all by himself! Small government! :-D
I’m going to withhold judgment of Obama until I’ve heard Steve Seagal weigh in.
What Norris and the other neocons fail to understand is that people have finally realized that the policies of the hard right are not good for the country. He may be watching Obama, but most of the rest of us have been watching Bush for the past eight years. We were not impressed.
I suspect that it will take years to recover from Bush’s misrule. Obama and the Democratic Congress will be hamstrung by Bush’s deficit*. Fixing the economy will be hard and the President has less short-term influence on the economy than many people realize. Hard times are coming.
*The deficit is a major cause of the credit crunch. If the government is borrowing huge amounts of money, that makes borrowing money more expensive for everyone else and leaves less money for others to borrow.
Let’s get real here PZ. When it’s “votin’ time” we have to allow millions of “meatheads” the chance to contribute to government every 2 and 4 or so years. I don’t like the man personally. I consider him one of the greatest social blunders of our time, but we can’t deceive ourselves into thinking most of the public are better than Mr. Norris!
German composer Max Reger’s response to a negative review of something he wrote. He’s probably more famous for the retort than any of his music, more’s the pity.
I’m thinking we could put together a tv chat show where hack, has-been action film performers (’cause they ain’t actors) talk politics.
I’m sure that alongside Chuck we could line up Steven Seagal, Dolph Lundgren (though he’s got an MA in Chemical Engineering, so he’s not stupid; whether or not he knows anything about politics I’ve no idea) and Jean-Claude Van Damme and have some real quality commentary.
And when I was a six-year old, I freakin’ loved “Invasion USA”. Why, oh why, Chuck?
Because you were six years old. Nothing to be ashamed about. I mean, when I was little, I used to enjoy watching Ronald Reagan introduce episodes of Death Valley Days.
As for Chuck Norris: Does he seriously think that a 47-year-old law school graduate with an undergraduate degree in political science knows nothing about U.S. politics in the 1980s?
I’m very amused by how the right wing loonies are coming out of the woodwork with “you’re our president too, therefore you should cave to our every whim!” When there was never any thought of maybe doing the same for the rest of us when they were in power.
GG Chuck! Cry more!
Chuck … Norris did you say? Wasn’t he the non-actor who started in a bunch of imitation chop-suey flicks back in the ’80s?
I wouldn’t take film making advice from that guy. let alone advice on the Constitution.
P.S. Why is that only Democrats have to obey the Constitution?
Gee, maybe if we’d LEFT IRAN ALONE IN THE FIRST PLACE they wouldn’t fucking BE our enemy now.
Are they really our enemy? Will they be our enemy five years from now? Exactly how self-fulfilling was Bush’s “Axis of Evil” ploy?
P.S. – Norris is an irrelevant jackass.
Two words: brain damage.
Susan said,
When jerks like this start moralizing about the constitution it makes me want to laugh or vomit. Maybe both.
That would be “laumiting” and its very dangerous due to the poorly designed connection between the trachea and esophagus.
Damn you evolution!!!
I like how Chucky quoted Thomas Jefferson. A man who took a Bible and “rewrote” it. Something that Chucky and his clan would find quite desecrating.
Oh the ignorance!
I hope Barak brings his own copies of the Constitution. Bush has pissed on every one he’s ever seen.
I’m sorry, I know this is a complete derailment, but while we’re all poking fun at the right wing, would anyone care to help add another voice of reason or two on this facebook debate? The topic is ‘religion breeds hate'(it’s a sub group of an ‘overturn prop 8’ group) and I seem to be the only atheist present at the moment, with a few religious apologists. I’m trying to not let it degrade into just hurling insults, but the only response I’m hearing is “but my church is different! More voices of reason are always welcome. I just want to avoid pure religion bashing though. :)
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=44713744618&topic=6555&ref=mf
If anyone knows it offhand, I could also use info on that study done with Israeli children where they were asked to judge the biblical account of Joshua’s destruction of Jericho (which they agreed with because god commanded it) and then didn’t agree with it when the names were changed and god wasn’t mentioned. I know Richard Dawkins mentioned it in The God Delusion, but I don’t have a copy handy at the moment.
Yes, I’m using mostly Dawkins’ talking points, but I’m new at this. Also, constructive feedback on my debating is always appreciated, since I would like to get good at this. My posts aren’t until page 2.
Chuck Norris is just echoing all the right wing pundits I’ve seen since the election. The hubris and arrogance is astounding, but not unexpected from these guys. It’s like they’re “allowing” the democrats to run things, for a while, but that “adults” will be keeping an eye on how they do. And if the dems step out of line, even a little bit, why those bastions of “real America” are going to lower the boom, by golly! The moral superiority is so thick you can cut it with a knife.
Apparently, they haven’t absorbed the news- YOU GUYS LOST. And if you don’t play nice, in 2 years we’ll kick even more of your asses to the curb. GET IT.
Conan pissed off Chuck Norris.
DO NOT want to piss off Chuck Norris.
Re #32 – Young Turks
Chuck Norris? Chuck islamic Norrorist more like.
Besides, wasn’t it chuck norris that took out thos two choppers with one kick and prevented the evil lieberal rescue attempt to save carter’s presidency?
andyo #119: “DO NOT want to piss off Chuck Norris.”
How can anybody avoid it? All of his brand of narcissism is based on looking down on everybody he ever comes into contact with.
Somonolent @ 45: I remember when Elvis tried to give Nixon advice. He had some kung fu moves down as well.
The ultimate irony is that Nixon made Elvis an honorary DEA Agent, ID card an all, on his trip to the white house.
They must have had a long talk about the “kids these days, and their dope”
I’ll bet the old Elvis sneer was a twitchin that day.
The bookful blockhead, ignorantly read
With loads of learned lumber in his head.
Alexander Pope
It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
One more from the Walker Texas Ranger Lever.
Now, are you sure you wanna mess with such a bastard?
The ultimate irony is that Nixon made Elvis an honorary DEA Agent, ID card an all, on his trip to the white house. They must have had a long talk about the “kids these days, and their dope” I’ll bet the old Elvis sneer was a twitchin that day.
Ever see the famous photo that was taken of Nixon and Elvis at that meeting? The look on Elvis’s face said it all. Never mind the sneer — dude was BAKED.
Poor chuck. Perhaps a few too many blows to the head.
snibwig@117,http://www.lrainc.com/swtaboo/taboos/ltn01.html
The Israeli study references are:
Tamarin, G.R. 1966. “The Influence of Ethnic and Religious Prejudice on Moral Judgment.” New Outlook, 9:1:49-58.
Tamarin, G.R. 1973. The Israeli Dilemma: Essays on a Warfare State. Rotterdam: Rotterdam University Press.
They are discussed and cited by John Hartung in “Stalking the wild taboo” at:
The deficit is a major cause of the credit crunch. If the government is borrowing huge amounts of money, that makes borrowing money more expensive for everyone else and leaves less money for others to borrow.Guardian by financial economist Gavin Davis, suggesting that because of the risk of deflation in the UK, and the problem you identify above with raising government borrowing, the UK government should simply print money to limit the depth of the recession! (Note to all those who thought that if inflation was bad, deflation must be good: it ain’t. Real interest rates rise, spending drops, the real level of debt rises and causes additional bankruptcies, spending and prices then drop further, and this cycle can be very difficult to escape, as Japan has found.)
Chuck Norris doesn’t ask what he can do for his country. Chuck Norris tells his country what it can do for him.
Chuck Norris doesn’t sleep he waits.
Chuck Norries doesn’t do push ups he pushes the earth down.
Chuck Norris destroyed the periodic table, because he only recognizes the element of surprise.
Chuck Norris can destroy two stones with one bird.
There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.
Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a Chucktatorship.
I think if you take all that into account you are lucky Chuck Norris is just writing letters!
I call bullshit on the whole thing until and unless someone shows me this story anywhere other than WorldNetDaily.
huh?
Scott, it’s not a “story.” It’s Norris’s regular column. Which he writes for WND?
Presumably, the reason why it’s an open letter is that he hasn’t yet figured out how to seal an envelope?
Well that or he knows full well that he’s full of shit and is only appealing to his reader base.
Probably some of both.
My goodness, Walton @9 – for you, that is a clever funny. Bravo!
@40 Pete Rooke, do you TRY to get stupider everyday, or is it gawds gift to you?
Open letter to the Chuck-ster…
STFU!
’nuff said!
Nick Gotts #129
According to an article in The Economist, deflation, not inflation, is now the greatest concern for the world economy. Consumer prices have been falling for the last 6 months in France and Germany; in Japan wages have actually fallen 4% over the past year. Until the recent crisis prices were falling in Brazil; they continue to fall in China and Hong Kong; they will probably soon be falling in a number of other developing countries.
The appearance of deflation as a widespread problem is disturbing, not only because of its immediate economic implications, but because until recently most economists, myself included, regarded sustained deflation as a fundamentally implausible prospect, something that should not be a concern. The point is that deflation should (or so we thought) be easy to prevent: just print more money. And printing money is normally a pleasant experience for governments. In fact, the idea that governments have a hard time keeping their hands off the printing press has long been a staple of political economy; dozens of theoretical papers have argued that the temptation to engage in excessive money creation causes an inherent inflationary bias in fiat-money economies. It is largely to combat that presumed bias that most of the world has accepted the notion that monetary policy should be conducted by an independent central bank, insulated from political influence, and has written into the charters of those central banks that they should seek price stability as their main, often only, goal.
In the business press one often finds a simple view about deflationary pressures that runs something like this: the world’s production capacity is now growing more rapidly than ever before, thanks to globalization, high rates of investment, and rapid productivity increase. Meanwhile, demand is not keeping up – perhaps because income is too unequally distributed, perhaps because consumers (outside the United States) are satiated. The result is global excess capacity, which exerts an inexorable downward pressure on prices.
The concern expressed by The Economist is, simply, that in the near future a large part of the world will start to look like Japan: that it will face deflationary pressures that cannot be offset simply by increasing the money supply. What can be done?
One answer is to pursue structural reforms that eliminate the savings-investment gap. Optimists believe that recapitalizing banks will do the trick for Japan. But this is a leap of faith based on very little supporting logic or evidence.
A second answer is to close the savings-investment gap with government dissaving. The trouble with this solution, of course, is that it poses problems for the long-term solvency of the government; Japan has already pretty much reached the limits of this approach.
All of which leads us to the need for unconventional policy approaches, and in particular for radical monetary policies of some kind.
As a temporary measure, monetary policy could be effective even in a liquidity trap if the central bank were to undertake open-market operations in assets other than short-term government debt. By increasing the demand for, say, long-term Japanese government bonds the Bank of Japan could surely have a positive impact on the economy even now. But while such measures would probably have a substantial short-run impact, they would only be effective in the longer term if the central bank were actually to acquire a substantial share of the relevant assets outstanding – which would raise some uncomfortable questions about the nature of the central bank’s role.
The obvious answer to sustained deflationary pressures, then, is the now-notorious proposal for “managed inflation”: since deflation is the result of an economy “trying” to get the expected inflation it needs, to avoid deflation one must provide that expected inflation by credibly promising that future price levels will be sufficiently high compared with the present.
In short, if you really believe that deflation is now a global threat, you should also believe that only policies that lie outside the realm of what is conventionally regarded as responsible will contain that threat. And because unconventional thinking is not what one expects (or, in normal times, wants) from finance ministers and central bankers, there is now a real risk that deflation will indeed become a global scourge.
Sorry about the lengthy post, but deflation is a problem that is looming in the middle distance and is something that’s not easy to deal with.
@Nick Gotts #128
Thank you! :)
#51 We could get Jackie Chan!
#31 I like your idea too!
‘Tis Himself@139,
Thanks – very interesting!
When did a god-walloping meathead get the idea he can make informed contributions to government?
Yes when did Obama get that idea?
Obama is a “god-walloping meathead”? LOL
That’s one of the stupidest “snappy comebacks” I’ve ever seen in my life, and I’m over 50 now. Be ashamed. Be very ashamed.